@SWFreak: I think the point is that DC, MD and VA are NOT New England. So it's really freaky for them. Also, my family is from the NY Adirondacks, and I've also visited VT, NH and MA in the winter. NE states may get 30+" of snow, and it may stay on the ground much of the winter, but it seems rare to me that they get it all in 24 hours as did this DC storm. Buffalo, NY gets hammered like this annually, but not so much the eastern seaboard, or even inland. It's all what you're used to. Phoenix would call NE'ers wusses because we call it a heat wave if the temperature is over 95 or 100 for 3 days in a row or more - whereas they deal with 100+ temps for their whole summer season - but they're used to it, they anticipate and plan for it. It's the surprise nature of it all.
... View more